Collapsible fan



Dec. 8 1925.

J. MARCH COLLAPSIBLE FAN Filed Feb; 10, 1925 Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

JOHN MARCH, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYIiVANIA.

COLLAPSIBLE FAN.

Application filed. February 10, 1925. Serial No. 8,199.

To all whom it may COW/067%..

Be it known thatI, JOHN MARcH, formerly a subject of the Emperor of Germany (having declared his intention to bei come a c1t1zen of the United States), a res1- dent of Philadelphia, county of Phil adelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Fans, of which the followingis a specification.

The present invention relatesto fans and more particularly to collapsible fans.

Some of the objects of the present invention are to provide a fabric fan in which the frame and cover can be readily sepa rated; to provide an improved frame for distending and holding a fabric fan cover in operative condition; to provide a fan handle having a relatively movable part connected to a resilient frame for insertion in a baglike cover to form a fan; to provide a fabric fan in which the fabric cover or body can be removed readily for laundering purposes; to provide a collapsible frame arranged to receive a cover having a contour corresponding to the frame in its expanded position; and to provide other improvements as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a collapsible fan embodying one form of the present invention; Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of the fan frame in open or operative position; and Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of the fan frame in collapsed position.

Referring to the drawings, one form of the present invention consists of a handle 10 formed as a rod of suitable shape, size and length, and having one end thereof provided with a slot 11. The frame proper consists in the present construction of two lengths of spring wire or rod 12, one end of each being looped for free movement about a pin 13 rigidly secured transverse of the slot 11. The position of'the pin 13 is such that the end of the handle 10 lies in the arc of the wire 12 in order to form an uninterrupted curve when the frame is provided with its cover 14. The other ends of each of the frame wires are connected respectively to opposite ears 15 of a tubular member 16 which is arranged to slide freely upon the handle 10, it being understood that the handle passes through the member 10 so that the member 16. can be moved along the rod 10 to bring the frame to eitherlexpanded or coll a sed condition.

The cover 14 is pre erably -formed of fabric having a contour simulating a fan, shape and of such proportions as to .be distended to that shape by the frame wire10 when the latter has been dulyeXpa-nded to operative position; As here constructed,

7 the cover 14 is made of two like-shaped pleces offabric oined by a seam 17 extend except for they ing about the circumference portion 18 which is left open for the inseriLlOII'Of the frame 12' and rod It will thus be'evident that the snap made up of two. separable parts, onethev fabric cover and'the other the handle and frame. The latter, in its collapsed condition, is shown in Fig. 4, and it will be noted that the frame wires are substantially straight and lie parallel to and in close proximity to the handle 10. In this collapsed condition, the width of the handle and its frame is less than the width of the opening 18 in the fabric cover, and consequently in assembling the fan the pivoted end of the frame and the handle end can be readily inserted through the opening 18 and moved into the fabric until the end abuts the central portion of the opposite side or top of the fabric cover. hen the handle has reached this position the member 16 is moved along the handle 10 toward the pivoted end of the frame, and thus causes the frame wires to swing outwardly in op posite directions about the pin 13 as a pivot, 1

within the cover is such as to place them under tension, and acts in a direction which counteracts any tendency of the member 16 to move in a direction which ordinarily would collapse'the fan. Thus the frame and its partsnotonly form a simple and effective collapsing device by which the fan can be taken apart, but also provide an effective natural reaction between the cover and frame which maintains the fan in its open taut operative condition. It Will be understood that" the" cover 1a and handle parts are not secured together in so far that they are held by the tension of the frame Wire when the latter is distended.

It Will now be apparent that a complete operative collapsible fan construction has been provided, which is simple in construction, consists of few parts, and which can readily be collapsed for convenient carrying purposes, and can 'ujst as readily beeX- 'panded into" operative position for use.

Having thus described by invention, I claim 1. In a fan construction, ahandle, a c01 lapsible frame pivoted to'one end of said handle at one part and sl'idably connected to said handle at another part, and a cover.

arranged to fitoversaid frame in collapsed condition and tobe distended in shape in operatlveposition of sa d frame.

2.111 a fan construction, a handle, a col? comprlsing Wires offspring lapsible frame material fastened at one end to said handle and aniembeislidable on said handle and connected to the other end of said Wires, and a cover arranged tofitover said frame in collapsed condition and to be distended in fan shape in operative position of said frame.

3. In a fan construction, a handle, a fanshaped cover arranged to receive an end of said .handle' and means carried by said handle for distending and holding said cover taut in fan shape. 7

4c; In a' fan construction," a handle, a fanframe for distending'andholding said cover tautin fan shape.

In a fan construction,"a' handle, afan shaped cover arranged to receive an end of shaped cover arrangedto receive an end of said handle, and means including a'spring said handle, and. means including" a'spring frame and apart sl'idable on said handle for distendi'ng and holding said cover tautin fan shape. W I 'i I v.

Signed at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, this 30th day of September, 1924-.

JOHN MARCH. 

